An alliance of groups in favour of abortion rights is protesting outside Dáil Éireann this evening against what it described as the Government's "platitudes" about helping women with crisis pregnancies.
Alliance for Choice is staging a "pot-banging protest" outside Leinster House this evening.
Earlier today, Ms Niamh Keating of Alliance for Choice said: "Amidst all the furore about stem-cell research, the needs of Irish women with crisis pregnancies are being ignored.
"The Crisis Pregnancy Agency says that at least 10,000 Irish women have crisis pregnancies every year. We know that approximately two thirds of these - about 7,000 women - travel to Britain for abortions. Meanwhile Fianna Fáil and the PDs spout platitudes about helping women with crisis pregnancies."
Ms Keating accused the Government of "making crisis situations worse by denying women access to information about clinics in Britain".
"And they refuse to provide services here for women who choose to terminate pregnancies, including victims of rape or incest, forcing them to go abroad. We condemn this hypocrisy and demand that the voices of Iish women be heard."
The Government-funded Crisis Pregnancy Agency recently published a major strategy document outlining how it proposes to deal with women in this situation. It announced increased funding for counselling for those in crisis pregnancy situations and also recommended a reduction in VAT on condoms in order to encourage safe sex practices, particularly among those whose use of contraception is low.
The agency has also recommended a national survey of sexual behaviour and attitudes.